Danny Bank

Who was Danny Bank?

Daniel Bernard "Danny" Bank was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and flautist. He is credited on some releases as Danny Banks.

He was born on July 17, 1922. Early in his career Bank played with Charlie Barnet, and would return to play with him repeatedly over the next few decades. He played with Benny Goodman, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, and Paul Whiteman in the 1940s. Following this he recorded with Charlie Parker, Rex Stewart, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, Johnny Hodges, Urbie Green, Clifford Brown and Helen Merrill, Art Farmer, Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Smith, Chico O’Farrill, Betty Carter, Ray Charles, and Tony Fruscella.

Bank is best known for his association with Miles Davis in Gil Evans's orchestra; Bank appears on the albums Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain, and Porgy and Bess. He played with Davis on his 1961 Carnegie Hall concert. Later in the 1960s he recorded with the big bands of Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, and Stanley Turrentine.

Bank died on June 5, 2010.